3D bioprinting and scaffold technology applications for the management of lung diseases

Lung diseases are now the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is an urgent need to improve knowledge of their pathophysiology to refine therapeutic strategies. The design and development of increasingly advanced and refined preclinical models of lung diseases may be an effective strategy to address these unmet needs. In this context, 3D bioprinting is an innovative technique that allows the automatic layer-by-layer deposition of biomaterials, bioactive molecules, and cells with accurate spatial control and an architecture that more accurately reproduces the structural and geometric features of a specific tissue or organ. This review links bioprinting strategies and scaffold/bioink properties with lung-specific structural and mechanical requirements and examines their applications in disease modeling, tissue regeneration and organ replacement, and drug discovery and testing. Emphasis is placed on how model design determines physiological relevance, disease-specific performance and translational potential, including personalized medicine.